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By Air
Baiyun International Airport (CAN) is 35km north of the city center. The airport is an international gateway, served by nonstop flights from Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok, and Osaka-Kansai, and direct flights from Los Angeles, Sydney, and Phnom Penh, and from Amsterdam via Beijing. There are four flights daily from Hong Kong. Baiyun is one of the busiest domestic airports, with at least seven flights a day from both Beijing and Shanghai, as well as services from virtually every other major city in China.
Flying time to Guangzhou from Seoul is 3 ½ hours; from Hong Kong, 40 minutes; from Osaka-Kansai, 4 hours; and from Los Angeles, 13 hours direct. 
Carriers
Air China Tel: 800/882-8122 in the U.S.
China Eastern Airlines Tel: 818/583-1500 in the U.S.
China Southern Airlines Tel: 20/8666-2969 in Guangzhou
Thai Airways Tel: 20/8665-9046 in Guangzhou; 800/426-5204 in the U.S.
Japan Air System Tel: 20/8669-6688 in Guangzhou
Asiana Airlines
Tel: 20-8760-9037 in Guangzhou; 800/227-4262 in the U.S.; 02/9223-1902 in Sydney
Singapore Airlines
Tel: 800/742-3333 in the U.S.; 0870/608-8886 in the U.K.; 20/8732-0600 in Guangzhou
Transfers Between the Airport to Down Town
By Texis
Taxis are available but many drivers do not speak English. Meters often don't work. The fare to central Guangzhou from the airport is about US$119 (Y150). It is advisable to settle on the fare before leaving the airport.
By Airport-Downtown Express
Airport-Downtown Express is very convenient from and to the Baiyun Internation Airport and Downtown. There are totally 8 lines at the ticket fee range from RMB10 to RMB30. Every 15 minutes, there is a bus from and to the city center. Airport-Downtown Express Route
By Train
The Guangzhou railway station (PHONE: 020/8668-2043), north of the city, is the terminus for daily express trains from Beijing.
Five express trains (HK$280 first class, HK$250 second class) depart daily for Guangzhou from Hong Kong's Kowloon Station (Hong Chong Rd., Hong Kong). The trip takes about about 1¾ hours. The last train back to Hong Kong leaves at 6 PM.
CTS office (10 Qiaoguang Lu, Guangzhou, PHONE: 020/8333-6888 Ext. 5385) sells tickets in Guangzhou.
General Info: Train tickets on the mainland usually have to be purchased in the city of origin. If you do not speak Mandarin, it will be difficult to negotiate the ticket windows at the train station, so buy tickets from the local China Travel Service office or ask your hotel concierge to make the arrangements. It is best to make train reservations at least a day or two in advance, if possible.
Although China's classless society has all but disappeared, the train system offers a glimpse of old-fashioned socialist euphemisms. Instead of first-class and second-class accommodations, passengers choose hard seat or soft seat, and for overnight journeys, hard sleeper or soft sleeper.
Trains are always crowded, so arrive at the station two hours before departure. In Hong Kong there will be a queue to get on the train; on the mainland, it's every passenger for him- or herself.
By Boat & Ferry
Boat travel is relatively comfortable in China as well as a magnificent means of viewing the countryside, although the bathrooms leave much to be desired. For longer trips, first-class cabins with private bath/shower are available on Chinese boats and mandatory on luxury cruises. Larger boats are also equipped with viewing decks, large cabin windows, and restaurants that serve decent cuisine.
There is daily service by Turbo Cat (catamaran ferries; HK$370 first class, HK$250 economy from Hong Kong, HK$345 and HK$225 from Guangzhou) between the China Hong Kong City (CHKC) ferry terminal (Canton Rd., Kowloon) in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, departing 7:15 AM and 1:30 PM, returning 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. The journey takes about two hours.
A ferry (from HK$202 for a four-berth cabin) makes the journey from Hong Kong to Guangzhou every day, departing the CHKC terminal at 9 PM; it arrives at dawn, and passengers disembark at 7 AM. There are cabins of different classes as well as restaurants.
By Bus
Long-distance bus travel can be a comfortable and economical means of transport in China, but bus drivers often don't speak English, and you may be charged for insurance on more dangerous, mountainous routes. The more expensive bus companies, such as INTAC, are usually safer because drivers are held accountable for accidents by the government. Depending on the route, roads can be smooth or bumpy, and detours may take you over rocky terrain where roads don't even exist. If safety and comfort are a concern, be sure to ask your hotel travel agent or the China International Travel Service (CITS, 179 Huanshi Lu, Guangzhou, PHONE: 020/8666-6889 or Ext. 222) in advance. CITS or your hotel can arrange bus tickets and provide bus schedules. Unfortunately, bus stations only have schedules in Chinese and rarely have English-speaking staff.
Citybus (PHONE: 852/2873-0818), which charges HK$135 from Hong Kong and Y160 from Guangzhou, has five round-trips a day between Hong Kong and Guangzhou using new vehicles that have toilets, drinks, snacks, reclining seats, and individual air-conditioning and lighting controls. The trip takes 3½ hours, and buses leave from CHKC and Shatin City One in Hong Kong and the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou. Among other bus services, China Travel Service (CTS, 10 Qiaoguang Lu, Guangzhou, PHONE: 020/8333-6888 Ext. 5385; HK$170) arranges 11 round-trips a day, with pickup and drop-off at major Guangzhou hotels.
Air-conditioned express buses link Guangzhou with Shenzhen (2½ hours), Zhuhai (1½ hours), and just about every other town in the region.
Getting Around
Overview
Guangzhou is not an easy place to get around in because of the vast amount of demolition and building going on. Many hotels have bicycles for rent at very inexpensive day rates.
By Car
Car rentals are not recommended and generally not available in China. Some local rentals are now possible in Beijing and Shanghai, but only for driving within the city. It is possible, however, to hire a car with a driver for the day, and the costs in most Chinese cities are reasonable. Given the dangers of driving in China, this is the most logical choice. In China check with your hotel concierge or local CITS (179 Huanshi Lu, Guangzhou, PHONE: 020/8666-6889 or Ext. 222) office about hiring a car.
Requirements & Restrictions
In China your own driver's license is not acceptable. An International Driver's Permit is a good idea; it's available from the American or Canadian automobile association, or in the United Kingdom, from the Automobile Association or the Royal Automobile Club.
Road Conditions
Road conditions in China, especially in the cities, are usually fine, and the construction of highways and expressways has done much to improve the efficiency and comfort of driving in China. In more rural areas, however, especially in the mountains of Western China and the deserts of Northwest China, roads can be very poor, narrow and dangerous. Foreigners have been killed in accidents on these roads due to landslides, weather conditions, and inattentive drivers. Be sure to ask your hotel or CITS about the conditions of the roads if you are traveling in these types of areas.
Rules of the Road
Driving is on the right in mainland China. Traffic lights can be sparse. Road signs are also sparse except in cities. Many street signs are in Chinese characters as well as pinyin, a simplified phonetic system that uses the Roman alphabet to denote the pronunciations of the myriad Chinese characters.
By Subway
The first line of the Metro, which opened in late 1997, connects Huangsha, close to the White Swan Hotel, with the southern suburbs. Future lines are planned to link up both the old and new railway stations and downtown areas. Map of Location
By Taxi
Taxis provide the only viable means of city transport. There are plenty of them -- at hotels, outside tourist sights, and on the roads. Some are obviously retired from Hong Kong service, with sagging suspension, broken handles, and inoperative air-conditioning. The large grille around the driver leaves little room in the back. Few drivers speak English, so you need your destination written in Chinese. At the flag's fall, it costs Y7 or Y9, with increments of 60 fen for every 250 meters (about a sixth of a mile), and drivers will always give receipts.
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